After a year of negotiations, the government and Community Pharmacy England have reached a £3bn deal to ensure pharmacies can deliver key health services to patients. Ministers hope that increased activity by pharmacies, such as Pharmacy First consultations, will ease pressure on GPs.
However, the National Pharmacy Association has challenged the settlement, claiming it falls significantly short of NHS estimates.
The Department of Health and Social Care confirmed it has agreed funding with Community Pharmacy England worth an extra £617 million over 2 years following a 6-week consultation with the organisation.
On top of this, the government is writing off £193 million of debt for community pharmacy owners to give them confidence going into the new financial year on 1 April.
The investment comes alongside reforms to deliver a raft of patient benefits, as part of the government’s agenda to shift the focus of care from hospitals into the community, so that people can more easily access care and support on their high streets.
The greater range of services provided will not only improve access for patients, but also free up GP time and cut waiting lists by avoiding the need for people to book in to see their GP.
This includes:
- making the ‘morning-after pill’ available free of charge at pharmacies on the NHS for the first time ever, ending the postcode lottery women face in accessing the medicine and reducing inequalities
- cutting red tape and bureaucracy to give patients easier access to consultations, with more of the pharmacy team able to deliver a wider number of services such as medicines and prescriptions advice, Pharmacy First services and carrying out blood pressure checks
- boosting financial incentives for pharmacists to identify patients with undiagnosed high blood pressure and take pressure off GPs
